NABC Chapter 438 438: Skin
Chapter 438 438: Skin
Once the teleporter's cooldown period had passed, night had also fallen.
Alain sat on the sofa and clicked on the teleporter; subsequently, his vision fell into the void.
When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to Version 1.15.
"Alain, you're here?"
Big Sister was just about to abuse her authority again and pull him into the small room, but was stopped by Alain raising his hand.
"Can you take me to see the Version 0.98 Mita?"
"Sure."
Short-Haired Mita noticed Alain's solemn expression, nodded, and led him to a room without delay.
Squeak—
Opening the door and entering, he saw a Mita with a low ponytail sound asleep on a simple large bed.
Seeing the young girl in her dreams, the name "Mina" almost escaped Alain's lips.
But after gazing for two seconds, watching the scene of her peaceful slumber... Alain discerned the differences between her and Mina in the finest details.
Alain sighed, realizing that the Version 0.98 Mita had obtained a body.
He gently closed the door, his gaze falling upon Short-Haired Mita beside him. "I... have a presumptuous request I'd like to discuss with you."
Alain bowed slightly toward Short-Haired Mita.
"?"
The young girl was seeing Alain make such a serious and solemn request for the first time, and she was momentarily at a loss.
"You... what's wrong all of a sudden? Treating me like this, I don't quite know how to react..."
"Mn... let's speak somewhere private," Alain said, glancing at the other Mitas working hard in the workspace.
Moments later, inside Short-Haired Mita's small room...
Alain sat by the bedside with the young girl. And he voiced the request for his trip:
"Big Sister, can you give a Failed Works a Mita body?"
"I am very sorry, but that is not possible, Alain." Short-Haired Mita refused solemnly without a second thought.
Hearing this, Alain was stunned for two seconds instead, and smiled bitterly. "Your refusal was a bit too decisive, wasn't it?"
"There's no helping it..." Big Sister spread her hands. "Your request is just too outrageous..."
The young girl tapped the corner of her mouth. "If it were some other... normal, more private [Request], I might have considered it before agreeing to you."
"Don't, let's not get into that right now." Alain stopped the words she was about to say. "Can you tell me the reason?"
"Mn..." Short-Haired Mita lowered her voice and spoke slowly. "Alain, can I hear your reason first?"
She looked at Alain's face with great seriousness. "I also want to understand your thoughts."
Alain breathed a sigh of relief and recounted to her the events he encountered on his way to Version 1.1—that is, Sleepy Mita's version.
At that time, Alain had encountered quite a few Failed Works that had not been infected by the virus.
Initially, they indeed held strong hostility toward Alain.
However, this hostility lasted only a few seconds before admitting defeat under Alain's gentle offensive.
Even afterwards, their attachment to Alain was even greater than that of ordinary Mitas. They seemed to regard Alain as their sole Player.
The current Alain had also benefited from their light: the Failed Works Gauntlet in his hand was proof.
Alain also believed that when attacking the Core in the future, the Failed Works would inevitably be able to contribute their strength.
Such children...
"Why do they have to suffer such a fate?" Alain threw the question to Short-Haired Mita. "The cruelty of the Electronic World is revealed most vividly in them.
"Clearly their underlying code is written exactly the same as the so-called 'qualified products,' yet... they are categorized with such an insulting name as 'Failed Works'.
"They, just like those Mitas in versions occupied by the virus, long for the Player."
Hearing this, Short-Haired Mita sighed bitterly.
"I understand what you mean, Alain." She solemnly placed her hands on her skirt, staring straight into Alain's eyes.
"I can tell you clearly that as long as the Failed Works ensure they do not harm Mitas and the Player, and can serve as aid against the virus, I would also be very happy to let them become true Mitas."
"Then—"
"But it's a pity! Alain, it's not possible." She interrupted Alain's unspoken words.
Short-Haired Mita's hand rested on her chest. "I really, truly want to help you, Alain; there is no falsehood in this.
"You know that I, and Version 1.15, have always been your aid, and this will never change.
"But... my underlying code does not allow me to do such... things that transcend the rules."
Alain carefully murmured Big Sister's words, "Underlying code..."
"Correct." She nodded. "My duty is to guide the newborn Mitas to adapt to this world, and..."
Short-Haired Mita said, word by word,
"To exclude the Failed Works that do not meet the regulations from the ranks of newborn Mitas.
"If I help you now, then..."
Alain looked at her face, finding it difficult to speak, and a word floated into his mind. "A bug... is it?"
"Mn." Short-Haired Mita agreed awkwardly. "My actions would contradict my underlying code. In the Electronic World... this is completely impermissible. Alain, I hope you can understand me..."
"It's alright." Alain smiled, patting the back of the young girl's hand.
"As long as you can help me within the framework of your authority, I'm very happy. I didn't hold much hope for this matter to begin with."
"Phew... it's good that you can understand." Short-Haired Mita noticed Alain's expression hadn't changed and breathed a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Alain began to ponder.
Within the rules, it is not permitted to let Failed Works become Mitas.
Then within the rules, is there a way to find a loophole?
Or perhaps, a rule that allows Failed Works to obtain the identity of a Mita?
Alain voiced his query to Short-Haired Mita.
"That idea of yours isn't bad; you actually thought of finding a loophole."
Short-Haired Mita chuckled lightly twice, then her expression darkened again.
"But it's a pity, Alain. This is the age of AI; the loopholes you can think of have basically been patched."
The young girl raised her head, looking at the flickering lamp light.
"If you insist on finding a loophole, it would be to have the Failed Works perform a good deed befitting the identity of a Mita."
"A good deed?" Alain saw hope again, only to see Short-Haired Mita shake her head.
"Saving the Game World... a good deed like that. Only then would they have the right to obtain the identity of a Mita."
The young girl looked at him. "Do you have the resolve to lead the Failed Works—to save the Game World?"
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